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Doobie-dos and don’ts – Alberta outlines specifics on cannabis sales

Feb 16, 2018 | 9:44 AM

EDMONTON – The Province of Alberta is releasing its regulations around marijuana sales in the province.

The government has approved marijuana to be sold by private retailers and online.

All marijuana would come from a federally licenses producer. The province recently closed an expression of interest process for a pot provider and said it’s satisfied with the response it received and is in the process of reviewing the responses.

Under the provincial frame work the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will be responsible for the licensing process, establishing the regulations and making sure businesses comply.

There will be no limit for the number of marijuana business licences in the first year. However, no one person, business or corporation can have more than 15 per cent of the retail licenses. The government said that will ensure a level playing field for small and large businesses.

After the first year, the AGLC will let businesses know if they can qualify for more retail marijuana licenses.

Pot shops can not be located within 100 metres, or one city block of a school or hospital. Municipalities will have the opportunity to increase that distance through municipal regulations.

Retail locations will be allowed to operate between 10:00 A.M and 2:00 A.M., similar to liquor stores in the province. Marijuana cannot be sold in the same store as liquor, tobacco, or prescription drugs.

There will be a 30 gram transaction limit for customers as that is the maximum amount of marijuana a person will legally be allowed to have on their person at any given time.

Stores will only be able to advertise internally and they are not allowed to post signage in their windows that would be enticing to minors.

Anyone under the age of 18 will not be allowed to enter a marijuana retail store, even if they are accompanied by an adult.

Those hoping to secure a license to sell pot can download an application from the Provincial website starting today, but applications will not be accepted until March 6, 2018.

Retailers will be subject to extensive background checks to ensure revenues from the sale of marijuana don’t end up in the hands of organized crime.

Anyone with links to organized crime, or a history of drug trafficking will be disqualified. Employees will also need to have criminal background checks completed along with mandatory ‘Sell Safe’ training from the AGLC.

Adults may smoke or vape cannabis at home and in some public places. It will not be allowed in vehicles, cannabis retail outlets, anywhere smoking or vaping tobacco is already prohibited, or in specific areas frequented by children. Those areas include schools, hospitals, within five metres of skate parks, spray parks, and playgrounds.

There will be a zero tolerance for underage possession of marijuana, fines and punishments will be similar to youth found in possession of alcohol or tobacco.

Workplace regulations are currently being reviewed to address the issues of impairment in the workplace.

Residents of legal age will be allowed to grow their own marijuana plants, the province has set the limit to four plants per household, not per-person.

Licence suspensions and vehicle seizures that apply to alcohol-impaired driving have been extended to cannabis impairment. There will be zero tolerance for those on graduated licences. Cannabis consumption will not be allowed in vehicles. The province is waiting on the federal government for rules and tools for testing marijuana impairment.

For more information on the rules, go to the Alerta Government website.